IMPACT OF ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING ON SECURITY OF NATIONS AMONG ISSUES ADDRESSED BY SPEAKERS IN THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE

9 October 1998

Press Release
GA/SHC/3468

IMPACT OF ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING ON SECURITY OF NATIONS AMONG ISSUES ADDRESSED BY SPEAKERS IN THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE

19981009 Consideration of Crime Prevention And Criminal Justice, International Drug Control Continues

The international trade in illicit drugs was a transnational problem, and it had become a matter of security of nations, the representative of Senegal told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this morning as it continued its consideration of crime prevention and criminal justice and international drug control.

The community of nations should mobilize itself to meet the scourge of drugs, he said. While the harmful effect of drugs on the mental health of individuals was no longer questioned, the implications of the illicit production of drugs had become a destabilizing force at a wider level.

Speaking on behalf of the Central American countries, the representative of El Salvador said the negative effects of the production, distribution and consumption of illicit drugs had created tensions in international political relations, within communities and families and for individuals, creating economic, social and political problems.

Calling for a strengthening of international cooperation, the representative of Cuba said the agreements reached at the special session of the General Assembly on the drug problem should provide a solid foundation for genuine cooperation. However, he warned that such efforts must be based on international law. The principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. He reiterated his country's condemnation of the unilateral role undertaken by some States that had taken on the role of sole arbiters of right, while within in their own borders had poor records on drug control.

China also said that while coordinated international efforts were essential in the battle against illicit drugs, it was important to remember the principle of respect for the sovereignty of countries, as well as shared responsibilities.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Nepal, Jordan, Israel and Guinea, as well as by a representative of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its consideration of crime prevention and criminal justice and international drug control.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to continue consideration of crime prevention and criminal justice and of international drug control. The Committee has before it the relevant sections of the report of the Economic and Social Council, reports of the Secretary- General and three draft resolutions. (For background information, see Press Release GA/SHC/3467 of 8 October.)

Statements

ZAHER AL KHURAINES (Kuwait) endorsed the work of the United Nations and its specialized agencies in its efforts in the field of drug control. Since the 1950s, Kuwait had understood the importance of fighting the illicit drug trade, and had established a specialized office for drug control. It had also established laws specifically to deal with drug offenders accused of the import, possession and use of illegal substances.

Although government efforts had come a long way in the field of drug control, popular efforts and the society at large were also working together to fight the phenomenon, he said. The responsibility was also collective, regionally and internationally, and Kuwait supported international efforts to control the illicit drug trade. Among other international instruments, in October 1989, Kuwait had signed the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, and had actively participated in drug control training sessions and seminars so that it could contribute to international efforts in the field.

NAIF BANDAR AL-SUDAIRY (Saudi Arabia) said the trafficking of drugs was a real scourge of our time and it was in the interest of all nations to fight it. The United Nations was deploying great efforts, and there was a need to implement international conventions. It was important to see what were the obstacles to that, in particular, the issue of producing countries who were contributing to the spread of drugs.

All States shared a deep concern on money laundering and the use of Internet technology to pursue those activities, he said. Tireless efforts were needed to fight organized crime and the flow of arms trafficking which threatened the security of States. Drug prevention was an international responsibility, but regional cooperation was needed. His Government could not accept that certain States legitimized the use of drugs, which was against religion, international law and human rights.

LAMIA MEKHEMAR (Egypt) said that the fiftieth anniversary of United Nations efforts in combating organized crime was a good opportunity to look at the achievements of the Organization. Through its system of agencies devoted to combating international crime, the United Nations had made great advances in the field. The adoption of the Naples Political Declaration and Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime had been an effective tool in the battle against crime.

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Egypt had taken many steps in its own battle against crime, she said. It had developed and modernized its laws to establish penal systems and to ensure that justice was carried out in all phases of trials, and to ensure that rights of defendants were protected. It had also taken steps to develop programmes of rehabilitation of offenders and to take care of the welfare of prisoners. On the international front, Egypt was committed to cooperating with the international community in efforts to combat transnational crime.

HASSAM NAJIR (Lebanon) said the question of drug control was a disquieting issue that concerned all countries. It harmed people worldwide and had an adverse impact on the social, cultural and political structures everywhere. He drew attention to the many instruments had been developed for drug control, such as the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, on the illicit production and flow of drugs and psychotropic substances.

Lebanon had been successful in totally eliminating the spread of drugs, he said. His country was still suffering from the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon, but it had managed only because it had made it a priority. He called for greater assistance so that alternate crops could be grown in place of the raw material for drugs. He also called for assistance in establishing awareness programmes. The efforts of individual States, and a coordination of collective efforts, under the auspices of the United Nations agencies, would make it possible to ultimately put an end to the production and use of drugs.

SHANTI SHUMSHERE RANA (Nepal) said that the fast changing social and economic circumstances, the easy access and the global availability of illicit drugs, and the rising demand for them had contributed to the increasing tide of that serious problem. It was a problem which affected all societies and communities and it was of such scale that only a concerted and determined response from the international community could successfully cope with it.

Nepal had included the drug control policy in its current five-year plan, which reflected his country's commitment to control drug abuse and illicit trafficking, he said. His Government had also approved a National Drug Control Policy and the National Drug Demand Reduction Strategy. Provisions had been made for the national laws to conform to the 1961 and 1988 United Nations Convention along with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Convention of 1990 relating to drug abuse and drug trafficking.

RODOLFO REYES RODRIGUES (Cuba) said he hoped that the agreements reached at the special session of the General Assembly on the drug problem would provide a solid foundation for genuine international cooperation in the field of drug control. International cooperation must be strengthened, and must be based on international law; in particular, the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. He reiterated his country's condemnation of the unilateral role undertaken by some States. While they had taken on the role of sole arbiters of right, they had poor records within their own countries.

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He commended the efforts of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), which had helped with the training of personnel in the field of drug control. The UNDCP was the only independent world authority that was able to evaluate, in a balanced fashion, the efforts that States were making. Cuba itself did not have a major drug problem, but its location in the Caribbean basin encouraged it to take the issue seriously and to cooperate in international efforts to combat the drug trade. His country had intercepted drug traffickers, and he reiterated its readiness to draw up bilateral arrangements with countries to work together in combating the drug problem, which could not be dealt with in half measures. Drugs would either be eradicated, or they would consume the fabric of societies.

SAFER NAKER (Jordan) said his country was not a producer or consumer of drugs, but its geographic position ensured it must take part in the battle against the illicit drug trade, and it supported international efforts in that regard. It was incumbent on the international community to produce conventions to keep abreast with the production and distribution of illicit substances. He supported the United Nations drug control machinery, and endorsed the success of the special session of the General Assembly on the drug problem.

In addition to other efforts, Jordan had taken steps to reduce the domestic demand for drugs that included public awareness campaigns, he said. The Ministry of Education had included materials on the threat of drugs in its curriculum for students, and national efforts had also been made to rehabilitate drug users. Drug addicts in Jordan had a right to treatment. They were encouraged to accept that they had a problem, and they were shielded from punishment. Among other measures by which Jordan was combating the drug problem, he cited the adoption of laws to combat money laundering.

YANG XIAOKUN (China) said his Government had always attached great importance to its fight against drug crimes. It had followed the principle of attaching equal importance to the reduction of both drug demand and use. It had implemented the Global Programme of Action adopted by the special session, severely cracked down on cross-border drug trafficking, and prohibited the illicit cultivation of poppies. From June to September of this year, it had held an anti-drug exhibition on the theme "Say Yes to Life, No to Drugs".

China had been the first country to ban amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), he said, adding that it had implemented the export license system covering the United Nations-listed controlled chemicals since 1993 and the import license system since 1996. While noting the importance of coordinated international efforts, he called for the principle of sovereignty of countries to be respected, as well as for broad participation and shared responsibilities. There was a need for a comprehensive implementation of the integrated and balanced international strategy for drug control formulated by the special session of the General Assembly. Also, alternative development was an important link in the integrated international drug control strategy.

ORLI GIL (Israel) said that her Government had embarked on a programme to instill the police force with a high standard of ethics. Ethics had to be

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instilled in the training of officers, reflected in the practice of arresting and detaining people, and in the living conditions of prisons and detention centres. A Chief Education Officer had been appointed by the Israeli police in the early 1980s to help ensure that ethics became an integral part of every Israeli National Police training course. All police employees were also now required to pass a two-month training course, including instruction in professional ethics.

The passing of the Human Liberty and Dignity Law in 1992 had sparked new legislation in the areas of arrest and detention in Israel, she said. That had culminated, in May, with the passing of the Arrests and Detention Law, which had placed firm limits on the ability of the police to threaten the rights of the individual. Among other things, it reduced the number of unjustified arrests; gave a suspect the right to meet with an attorney as early as the preliminary investigation; and the investigator was obliged to inform the suspect of that right.

IBRA DEGUENE KA (Senegal) said the community of nations should mobilize itself to meet the scourge of drugs. The international trade in illicit substances was a transnational problem, and it had become a matter of the security of nations and the international community as a whole. People no longer questioned the harmful effect of drugs on the mental health of individuals. At a wider level, the implications of the illicit production of drugs, which threatened the production of other crops, had become a destabilizing force. Africa alone did not have the resources to face up to the illicit drugs trade. The Organization of African Unity (OAU) had put a great deal into the fight against drugs, as had many other regional organizations.

The battle was a common battle for African nations, involving all levels of society, he said. Non-governmental organizations, unions, political and religious circles should all take part in efforts to combat drugs. In Senegal, which since 1963 had had legislation against the illicit use of cannabis, a national committee had been established that had drawn up anti- drug policies. The care of drug addicts was included in efforts to suppress the distribution of drugs. Senegal had ratified all of the United Nations conventions against illicit substances and opposed the legalization of the use of cannabis, he said, calling for increased efforts in education and the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

CAMARA MAHAWA BANGOURA (Guinea) said it was difficult to take stock of the impact of the special session on the problem of drugs. She hoped the present session would offer opportunity to trace out new policies for the future. Illicit drug trafficking had worsened, posing serious danger to the international community. The nature of the problems varied from country to country, but the effects were harmful in all cases. Thus, it was necessary to coordinate regional and international efforts to deal with that scourge.

Her Government appreciated the inverse trend of increased funds in the area of drug control, she said. Despite the eradication efforts in many countries, some African countries continued to supply cannabis and to receive

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coca and heroin from other places. Poor economic performance of the continent and political instability all encouraged those trends. Those could be damaging and were linked to hard drug consumption, arms trafficking, and criminality. She reaffirmed the connection of those problems to the eradication of poverty, political stability, justice and a society free from drugs. Thus, more coordinated international efforts were needed. Despite obstacles facing Guinea, there was determination to pursue action to control drugs and psychotropic substances.

SADIG RASHEED, Director of Programme Division, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said young people's health and development were an integral component of UNICEF's 1998-2000 programme priorities. UNICEF had participated in the Youth Vision Jeunesse Drug Abuse Prevention Forum organized by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) in April this year. It had worked with UNDCP and UNESCO in planning and organizing the Side Event on children. That event had provided an opportunity to outline the serious nature of the problem and to demonstrate the key role that young people could play in turning the words of the Demand Reduction Declaration into action.

"Young people will need to be placed at the centre of our response to the use and abuse of illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco", he said. In August, UNICEF Brazil had hosted the second meeting of the Interregional Programming Group on Young People in Crisis, a process of peer support, review and learning organized in collaboration with UNDCP, World Health Organization and UNAIDS secretariats. That process would contribute to the acceleration of national-level activities that would help meet and protect the rights of particularly disadvantaged and vulnerable young people, including a focus on drugs.

CARLOS ENRIQUE CARCIA GONZALEZ (El Salvador), also speaking on behalf of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, said the negative effects of the production, distribution and consumption of illicit drugs had created tensions in international political relations, within communities and families and for individuals, creating economic, social and political problems. It was not yet possible to say that solutions so far agreed on had won the war on drugs. Several joint activities had been undertaken in the Central American subregion that included agreements coordinating policies, mutual assistance, and joint operations to combat illicit drugs. Those activities had been endorsed at the twenty-fifth Meeting of Central American Presidents in 1994.

On demand reduction, an increase in consumption among adolescents and children had been noted, and Governments in the region were adopting policies aimed at institutionalizing programmes to discourage young people from taking drugs, he said. Another approach the Governments of the region were taking to combat the trade itself was the institutionalization of laws against money laundering. Internationally, Central American Governments had participated actively in the work of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in preparation for the special session of the Assembly on drugs.

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He called for an international plan of action to reduce the demand for drugs, and for increased technical cooperation programmes, in the form of laboratory assistance, for example. He reiterated the commitment of Governments of the region to step forward boldly in efforts and to implement the outcome of the special session. Central America was willing to make its contribution to the battle against the international drug trade.

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